1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary shower brush. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rotary shower brush for mounting in a shower stall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for bathing machines have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A first example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 298,291 to Lanier teaches the ornamental design for a combined wall-mounted water-powered shower brush and accessory shelf unit.
A second example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,192,314 to Howlett teaches in combination with a bathing apparatus, of an annular series of vertically disposed rotary brushes, each having at one end a driven gear, and a common driving gear concentric with the annular series of brushes and in driving relation to all of said driven gears.
A third example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,965,774 to Jaynes teaches a bathing machine including a combined scrubbing and massaging element, motor operated means connected with said element for imparting a longitudinal surging movement thereto, and a water supply including a valve adapted to be opened for wetting said element.
A fourth example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,757 to Mishelle teaches a back cleaner and massager having a housing provided in its front wall with an opening, a plurality of cylindrical applicators mounted for a vertical reciprocatory movement within the housing, portions of which applicators project through the opening the front wall thereof, means within the housing to the rear of the opening for spraying liquid forwardly through the opening in said housing, a fluid pressure motor within the housing and driving connections between said motor and said applicators.
A fifth example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,685 to Holland teaches a mechanical body massager adapted for mounting within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated vertical shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis and having a plurality of slots therethrough; and an elongated, flexible slapping panel in each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaft in opposite directions.
A sixth example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,776 to Roberts teaches a shower apparatus comprising an enclosure, pairs of vertically aligned upper and lower bearings mounted in the enclosure, said lower bearings being rockable in a vertical plane, vertical driven shafts journaled in the upper bearings, vertical driven shafts removably journaled in said lower bearings in alignment with the drive shafts, cylindrical brushes mounted on the driven shafts for rotation therewith, means for actuating the drive shafts in unison, and means for operatively and detachably connecting said drive shafts to the driven shafts whereby said driven shafts may be swung out of alignment with said drive shafts and removed from said lower bearings.
A seventh example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,867 to Perry teaches a appliance for massaging the body of a person including a back panel; a first bearing plate fixed to said back panel and extending therefrom; a second bearing plate fixed to said back panel and extending therefrom, said second bearing plate having a plurality of recesses opening into each other; at least three cylindrical brushes disposed between said bearing plates with one end of each of said brushes journaled in said first bearing plate and the other end of each of said brushes journaled in said second bearing plate, the axes of said brushes being parallel to each other and disposed so that the cylindrical surface of said several brushes can simultaneously engage the back of the torso of a person; a plurality of gears rotatably disposed in the recesses of said second bearing plate in intermeshing relationship to constitute a gear train for rotating said brushes in unison so that pairs of said brushes have their cylindrical surfaces moving away from each other as they contact the back of the person to tend to spread the skin of the person along elongated areas while other pairs of said brushes are rotating in directions to move their cylindrical surfaces into contact with the back of the person toward each other to tend to draw the skin together along elongated areas for producing a pleasant and relaxing sensation to the person using the appliance, the ends of said brushes that are journalled in said second bearing plate being coupled to said gears for rotation therewith; a cover plate fixed to said second bearing plate to overlie the recesses and enclose said gears therein; and a source of power connected to drive said gear train for rotating said brushes.
An eighth example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,523 to Enchelmaier et al. teaches a brushing device having a manually driven brush rotatable about its longitudinal axis. The brush is oscillated by means of a pull cord wrapped around a pulley which is drivingly connected to the brush, at least one span of the pull cord extending directly from the pulley to be grasped by a hand of the operator. Preferably the cord has two such spans, which extend from opposite sides of the pulley, and which are engaged and pulled by the respective hands of the operator. Some of the disclosed embodiments of the device are particularly adapted for use as bathing aids. In certain disclosed embodiments, the brush rains in a fixed axial position. In other embodiments, the brush, which is mounted vertically, is free for vertical travel throughout a limited range under the influence of the pulls on the said spans of the pull cord. In yet another embodiment, wherein the device is disposed vertically, the brush oscillating cords may selectively be pulled either horizontally or vertically.
A ninth example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,459 to Brunette teaches a back scrubber and massager apparatus to be used in a bathing enclosure, such as a shower stall, to allow the user to wash his back or to give himself a back massage by merely standing with his back to the apparatus. The back scrubber and massager apparatus is adjustable for different size and type bathing enclosures, and also for users of different heights.
A tenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,503 to Tharp teaches a driven rotary brush that is mounted on an adjustable plate, and the adjustable plate is mounted through rails and runners to a wall plate. The wall plate has quick mounting devices such as suction cups for quick attachment. The rails and runners provide easy vertical height adjustment. The brush has a central member functioning as a sprayer that is easily connected through flexible tubing to the supply pipe for the shower spray head.
A eleventh example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,421 to Kuersteiner teaches an apparatus that consists of a vertically upright rotatable brush roller arranged in an outwardly opening groove of a water-tight housing. An arcuate water supply pipe with plural water nozzles is provided above the upper peripheral edge of the roller. The periphery of the roller protects from the groove. The side edges of the groove are provided with air-jet nozzles which are directed tangentially to the roller. A standing against the brush roller permits a washing and/or massaging of the human body, whereby the washing process is aided by a curtain of water created by the water supply to the water pipe having plural downwardly directed water nozzles. An acceleration of the drying process is enhanced by the air-jet nozzles. The brush roller is equipped with nylon bristles.
A twelfth example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,227 to Scott teaches a user-powered body scrubber for use in a tub or shower. It includes at least one elongated vertical guide member, and brackets for mounting the guide member outwardly from the wall in spaced, parallel relation to the wall. A brush carriage is fitted to the vertical member in slidably captive relation for movement vertically along the guide member. At least one circular brush is carried by the brush carriage for rotation about an axis perpendicular to such movement along the guide member. A friction roller or rack-and-pinion arrangement causes the brush to rotate in response to said movement along the guide member. A cable has one end connected to the carriage, there being a first cable reach extending upwardly from the carriage along the guide member to a horizontal swingable arm including pulleys, the cable extending over the pulleys to provide a downwardly extending cable reach with a handle for being pulled by the user to lift the carriage upwardly along the guide member and for being released to permit the carriage to move downwardly along the guide member. The user places the body against the rotating brush while alternately pulling and releasing the cable to cause the brush to oscillate vertically as well as to oscillate rotatingly accordingly.
A thirteenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,257 to Bivens teaches a body brush shower stall in which a body brush is vertically oriented and supported from a single bearing, and driven through a clutch mechanism from a gear box and electrical motor at a speed range greater than about 90 rpm and below about 120 rpm. The body brush is mounted on the vertical drive shaft and has soft flexible bristles which hang and droop downwardly at speeds below 90 rpm and which extends substantially horizontally when rotated at speeds about 90 rom and a spray bay sprays liquid on the elongated body brush at spaced points along the length thereof to maintain the lubricity of the bristles at a certain level. The bristles are soft and flexible and conform to body contours to provide the unique massage, clean and scrubbing action to cleanse the skin surfaces of dirt, scale and provide a certain invigorating action. A stall is provided having a pair of end walls, back walls and short front side walls, the short front side walls defining an entranceway upon which a door is hung and a three-sided chamber for the body brush and a seat section for a bather spaced from the body brush a distance short enough that a bather can sit on the seat and place his or her feet into the rotating brush. A venturi system is utilized for injecting various soaps, body lotions, body oils or rinse additives to the water sprayed on the body brush to maintain the lubricity thereof.
A fourteenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,846 to Kannenberg teaches the devices of the brush-massage shower installation described in detail above do not pose any problems in practical application, while a person lets his body be massaged with the skin-friendly bristles, which he has selected himself, of a dry or water-spraying and wet-cleaning rotating massage roller. The brush-massage shower installation contains the advantages of freedom in the selection of the driving elements.
a.) The water turbine gear, which is responsible for the infinitely variable drive of the water-spring rotating massage roller, obtains its rotational force from the water supply provided, which is under pressure.
b.) The dry-running rotating massage roller is put into motion by a gear motor, the design of which is kept flat and which is electrically protected and infinitely variable and which is located in the outer wall side of the bath, from where it puts the electrically protected gear connected to the inner wall side into motion for rotating the rotating massage roller. A full brush massage with the rotating massage roller invigorates the human body and spirit. It sees to a good blood flow through the skin and body, by which it stimulates the metabolism, strengthens the vegetative nervous system and the immune system, increases the resistance to infectious diseases and thus awakens the human zest for life.
A fifteenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,782 to Kannenberg teaches a fitness-brush shower installation that has a head rod including a drive head. The head rod is pivotable in a horizontal plane and can be secured at a selected position. A vertical, rotatable brush roller is interchangeably suspended on a drive head under the head rod. A gear is coupled to at least one drive comprising conical gear-wheel shafts which set the brush roller in rotation. The gear is coupled to a brush-roller driver. The brush roller telescopically extendable in the vertical direction. Its extension is a function of water flowing into a hollow brush core of the brush roller, resisted by a restoring spring.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for bathing machines have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shower brush for mounting in a shower stall that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shower brush for mounting in a shower stall that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shower brush for mounting in a shower stall that is simple to use.
Briefly stated, still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shower brush for mounting in a shower stall that includes a brush assembly, a motor assembly, an upper mount assembly, and a lower mount assembly. The brush assembly vertically mounts in the shower stall. The motor assembly is operatively connected to, and rotates, the brush assembly. The upper mount assembly is attached to the motor assembly and attaches the motor assembly to the shower stall. The lower mount assembly is attached to the brush assembly and attaches the brush assembly to the shower stall. Variations of the upper mount assembly and the lower mount assembly allow the rotary shower brush to be attached to either the ceiling and the base of the shower stall or to a corner of the shower stall. In another embodiment, the brush assembly oscillates up and down as it rotates.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.